Boris Johnson on collision course with Tory rebels over plan to ditch Irish backstop
2 min read
Boris Johnson is on a collision course with Tory eurosceptics after Downing Street confirmed he only wants the Irish backstop ditched from the Brexit deal negotiated by Theresa May.
Hardline Brexiteers have insisted that they want to see more radical changes to the Withdrawal Agreement before they will support it in any Commons vote.
Earlier this month, Mark Francois warned that he and dozens of his backbench colleagues would rebel against the Government if the rest of the deal remained unchanged.
And writing in the Telegraph on Tuesday, former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said; "There are genuine concerns here that simply getting rid of the backstop isn’t enough. Many believe that what the UK really needs is a basic free trade deal with a standstill on regulations and tariffs whilst this is completed after we leave.
"I share those views – but I am sanguine because I am sure Boris understands that the deal Mrs May struck is a pig’s breakfast, under which the UK would surrender control to the EU far beyond the backstop."
But asked directly whether the Prime Minister was seeking any other changes to the Withdrawal Agreement, a spokeswoman for the Prime Minister said: "We have been clear that the changes we are seeking relate to the backstop.”
The EU has consistently said that the Brexit deal will not be reopened, and insisted that the backstop - which is designed to guarantee an open border in Ireland - cannot be ditched unless a workable alternative is in place.
However, government sources said there was growing optimism that ongoing talks with Brussels could lead to a new deal.
"There has been a rhetorical shift from the EU compared to a month ago, when they were insisting that the backstop and the withdrawal agreement were sacrosanct, " one source said. "Our position is that we must now try to prise open some space for negotiation.
"There's definitely a willingness from the French and Germans to engage."
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